U.S. Cyber Command wants to expand the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and to do so, it's kicked off a broader survey of machine learning requirements across the Defense Department. It's working with the Defense Innovation Unit, the new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to do that. The idea is to determine priorities for greater investment in the near future. U.S. Cyber Command wants to expand the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning, and to do so, it's kicked off a broader survey of machine learning requirements across the Defense Department. It's working with the Defense Innovation Unit, the new Chief Digital and Artificial Intelligence Office and the Defense Advanced Research Project Agency to do that.

The Defense Department's cyber warriors shouldn't be too concerned about artificial intelligence taking their jobs, according to their commander, Gen.

The Defense Department's cyber warriors shouldn't be too concerned about artificial intelligence taking their jobs, according to their commander. Instead, U.S. Cyber Command is looking for troops able to wield AI like a weapon. During a budget hearing Wednesday held by the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Intelligence and Emerging Threats and Capabilities, Rep. Anthony Brown, R-Md., asked the Pentagon's cyber leadership whether AI could help reduce the demand for cyber talent. "AI and machine learning certainly has a place as we look at some of the activities that we are doing day in and day out," CYBERCOM Commander Gen. Paul Nakasone told the subcommittee. "But I would offer, the people that make AI go, the people who make sure that our algorithms are right for machine learning, they're the folks that I'm most focused on." Nakasone referred to what he called the "10x or 20x folks" that can utilize these advanced systems as a multiplier for the work being done by the command's 133 Cyber Mission Force teams, which includes "amplify[ing] military lethality and effectiveness," according to the Pentagon's Defend Forward strategy released in September.

The Army general likely to be tapped to head U.S. CYBERCOM and the NSA has some big plans for deploying cyber forces and using artificial intelligence in information attacks. Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone, who currently leads U.S. Army CYBERCOM, is expected to nominated in the next few months to replace Adm. Michael Rogers, as first reported by The Cipher Brief (and confirmed by the Washington Post and a Pentagon source of our own). But caution is in order: the rumor mill says several other contenders are in the running, including Army Lt. Gen. William Mayville. Neither CYBERCOM nor the Pentagon would comment about the potential nomination. UPDATE: As @TheCipherBrief reported, Lt. Gen. Paul Nakasone is expected to be Trump's nominee.